Washington State University Libraries

Cage 726

Bob Wethern

Papers, 1900-2006 (bulk 1920-2006)

Note from Bob Wethern to Kenneth W. Frank, May 14, 1987

Extent/Quantity Information

Number of Containers: 50

Linear Feet of Shelf Space: 26

Acquisition And Processing Information

Bob Wethern donated these papers to the Washington State University
Libraries in 2005 (MS 2005-15). The collection was partially processed by
Michael Depa, a graduate student in the Department of History, in 2007-2008;
final processing was completed in 2009 by Cheryl Gunselman, manuscripts
librarian.

Biography

Bob Wethern (1921-2008) was born in Walla Walla, Washington to Milton and
Rita Wethern. After attending schools in Washington and Minnesota, he entered
the University of Idaho, where he majored in journalism. While a student, he
became the sports editor of the Daily Idahonian.

Beginning in 1946 Wethern worked as a reporter and photographer at the
Bremerton Sun, leaving in 1957 to take a position at the National Association
of Manufacturers in Portland, Oregon, where he remained until his retirement in
1979.

Wethern's interest in sports and outdoor writing extended beyond his work as
a journalist, and continued throughout his life. He edited a series of angling
histories, the Rivers of Oregon, and played an important role in preparing the
work of other writers for publication, including Lee Richardson and Robert H.
Smith.

He was a charter member of the Flyfishers Club of Oregon, and also belonged
to the Tau Epsilon fraternity, the Oregon Society of Association Executives,
Toastmasters International, the Tacoma Club, the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, and the Federation of Fly Fishermen.

Collection Description

This collection consists primarily of Bob Wethern's research materials,
notes, and drafts related to two substantial but unfinished writing projects.
Most of this material consists of reproductions (annotated photocopies and
photographic reproductions) collected for a project Wethern undertook in
partnership with artist David Hagerbaumer. This project, "The
Waterfowler's Pacific Flyway," was planned as a work of anecdotes and
history framed geographically by the Pacific flyway. This migratory path of
birds, mostly waterfowl, stretches from the Arctic region in the far north to
Central America in the south. The files for Wethern's flyway project include
correspondence; documentation from interviews; newspapers and other printed
material; copies of archival documents; files of historical materials collected
by Wethern; photographs; and manuscript drafts of some sections and
chapters.

The second project, "Tackle Counter Tales," was planned as a
published collection of fishing and hunting anecdotes. Wethern divided the
project into two parts, "Hunting Humor" and "Fishing
Funnies." The files for this unfinished project include Wethern's notes
and collected research materials, as well as drafts.

Note about dates: in the Container List below, the dates given for
photocopied materials generally reflect the dates of Wethern's research
activity, when the material was reproduced and the copies were collected,
rather than the dates of the original items.

Collection Arrangement

The collection is arranged with two main series, each including material
related to a major research and writing project. Wethern's original filing
system reflected this organization for most of his papers, and the rest was
sorted into these series during processing. In cases where files were not
clearly associated with one of the two projects, they were placed in the series
that seemed most closely related.

Photographs that Wethern filed separately from related research materials
have been grouped together in the third series; other photographs, which were
mingled with related materials, were left in Wethern's filing order to preserve
contextual information.

The fourth series consists of an index card file with Wethern's project
notes, and computer diskettes with word processing files.

Series 1: Tackle Counter Tales (TCT), 1920-2006.
This series contains material related to a planned collection of hunting
and fishing anecdotes. It includes interview transcripts and notes,
correspondence, printed material (primarily newspaper and magazine
clippings), photocopies, photographs, notes and drafts, and historical
materials collected by Wethern. There are also several files related to
Wethern's assistance with the early stages of Robert H. Smith's book,
Native Trout of North America (1984). There is no particular
arrangement in this series; Wethern's files on individuals, general
subjects, and special topics are intermixed.

Series 2: The Waterfowler's Pacific Flyway (TWPF),
1953-2003. This series contains interview transcripts and notes,
correspondence, printed material (primarily newspaper and magazine
clippings), photocopies of archival documents, and photographs. There are
also manuscript drafts for many chapters. With the exception of some
materials organized topically, this series is arranged in a roughly
geographical sequence from south to north by region, state, or province,
beginning with coastal areas and continuing with inland areas.

Series 3: Photographs, 1900-1990 (bulk
1979-1990). This series contains photographic images in a variety
of formats (slides, prints, negatives, photocopies), primarily
reproductions of photographs from archival collections gathered by Wethern
for Tackle Counter Tales and the Waterfowler's Pacific Flyway. Other
photographs, which were mingled with related materials, were left in
Wethern's filing order to preserve contextual information and are located
in Series 1 and 2.